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Chung Group - Biophysics of ion channels

Our primary research effort is aimed at elucidating how membrane ion channels work. Making use of a powerful supercomputer, we are attempting to follow the motion of ions as they move through a channel, study how a channel can select only the correct type of ions to traverse it and determine how many ions a single channel is capable of processing per second. We are also attempting to understand how the channel is switched from closed to open. Research interests include: Computational biophysics, Biological ion channels, Stochastic and molecular dynamics, Synthetic nanotubes, and Drug-channel interactions.

The Group is wholly funded by grants from the National Health & Medical Research Council. We have made several key contributions to the field of theoretical biophysics. Among these are:

Developed accurate theoretical models of various types of biological ion channels, such as the potassium channels, CIC chloride channels, acetylcholine receptors, GABA channels and mechano-sensitive channels;

Devised computational tools for simulating the behaviour of many charged particles interacting with a low dielectric boundary;

Elucidated the mechanisms of classical potassium channel blockers, such as tetraethylammonium and 4-aminopyridine;

Designed nanotubes made of boron and nitride atoms that broadly mimic some of the properties of biological ion channels, such as aquaporins, the gramicidin pore and ClC chloride channels.

Currently, we are developing a computational program that will allow us to study the interaction between polypetpides (drugs, toxins, other large molecules) and ion channels embedded in the lipid-bilayer.